गिरिकुंजं समासाद्य त्रिषु लोकेषु विश्रुतम् । पितामहं नमस्कृत्य गोसहस्रफलं लभेत्
Reaching Girikuñja, renowned in the three worlds, and bowing to the Grandsire, one obtains the fruit of a thousand cows.
ततो गच्छेत धर्मज्ञ विमलं तीर्थमुत्तमम् । अद्यापि यत्र दृश्यंते मत्स्याः सौवर्णराजताः
Then, O knower of dharma, one should go to the excellent, pure bathing place, where even today golden and silver fish are seen.
तत्र स्नात्वा नरश्रेष्ठ वाजपेयमवाप्नुयात् । सर्वपापविशुद्धात्मा गच्छेत्परमिकां गतिम्
Bathing there, O best of men, one attains the merit of a Vājapeya sacrifice; with a mind purified from all sins, one reaches the highest state.
नारदउवाच-। वितस्तां च समासाद्य संतर्प्य पितृदेवताः । नरः फलमवाप्नोति वाजपेयस्य भारत
Nārada said: Coming to the Vitastā and satisfying the ancestors and gods, a man attains the fruit of a Vājapeya sacrifice, O Bhārata.
काश्मीरेष्वेव नागस्य भवनं तक्षकस्य च । वितस्ताख्यमिति ख्यातं सर्वपापप्रमोचनम्
In Kashmir itself is the abode of the serpent, Takṣaka, known as Vitastā; it is famed as a place that frees from all sins.
तत्र स्नात्वा नरो नूनं वाजपेयमवाप्नुयात् । सर्वपापविशुद्धात्मा गच्छेत परमां गतिम्
Bathing there, a man certainly attains the merit of a Vājapeya sacrifice; with a mind cleansed of all sins, he reaches the supreme state.
ततो गच्छेत मलदं त्रिषु लोकेषु विश्रुतम् । पश्चिमायां तु संध्यायामुपस्पृश्य यथाविधि
Then one should go to Malada, renowned in the three worlds, and at the evening twilight, perform the prescribed ablution.
चरुं सप्तार्चिषे राजन्यथाशक्ति निवेदयेत् । पितॄणामक्षयं दानं प्रवदंति मनीषिणः
A king should offer, according to his ability, a rice oblation to the Seven-flamed (Agni); the wise declare this as an imperishable gift to the ancestors.
गवांशतसहस्रेण राजसूयशतेन च । अश्वमेधसहस्रेण श्रेयान्सप्तार्चिषश्चरुः
The rice oblation to the Seven-flamed is superior to the gift of a hundred thousand cows, a hundred Rājasūya sacrifices, or a thousand Aśvamedha sacrifices.
ततो निवृत्तो राजेंद्र रुद्रास्पदमथाविशेत् । अभिगम्य महादेवमश्वमेधफलं लभेत्
Then, having completed this, O king, one should enter the abode of Rudra; approaching Mahādeva, one obtains the fruit of an Aśvamedha sacrifice.
मणिमंतं समासाद्य ब्रह्मचारी समाहितः । एकरात्रोषितो राजन्नग्निष्टोमफलं लभेत्
Reaching Maṇimanta, a devoted brahmacārin who stays there for one night, O king, obtains the fruit of an Agniṣṭoma sacrifice.
अथ गच्छेत राजेंद्र देविकां लोकविश्रुताम् । प्रसूतिर्यत्र विप्राणां श्रूयते भरतर्षभ
Then, O king, one should go to Devikā, renowned in the world, where the birth of brāhmaṇas is heard of, O bull among the Bharatas.
त्रिशूलपाणेः स्थानं यत्त्रिषुलोकेषु विश्रुतम् । देविकायां नरः स्नात्वा अभ्यर्च्य च महेश्वरम्
There is the place of the Trident-holder, famed in the three worlds; bathing in Devikā and worshipping Maheśvara,
यथाशक्ति नरस्तत्र निवेद्य भरतर्षभ । सर्वकामसमृद्धस्य यज्ञस्य लभते फलम्
There, offering according to one's ability, O bull among the Bharatas, one attains the fruit of a sacrifice that fulfills all desires.
कामाख्यं तत्र रुद्रस्य तीर्थं देवर्षिसंमतम् । तत्र स्नात्वा नरः क्षिप्रं सिद्धिमाप्नोति भारत
There is Kāmākhyā, the sacred place of Rudra, esteemed by the gods and sages; bathing there, a man quickly attains success, O Bhārata.
यजनं याजनं गत्वा तथैव ब्रह्मवालकम् । पुष्पन्यास उपस्पृश्य न शोचेन्मरणं ततः
Having gone to the place of sacrifice and the sacrificial priest, as well as to Brahmavālaka, after offering flowers and performing purification, one need not grieve at death thereafter.
अर्द्धयोजनविस्तारां पंचयोजनमायताम् । एतावद्देविकामाहुः पुण्यां देवर्षिसंमताम्
They declare the holy Devikā, praised by gods and sages, to be half a yojana wide and five yojanas long.
ततो गच्छेत धर्मज्ञ दीर्घसत्रं यथाक्रमम् । यत्र ब्रह्मादयो देवाः सिद्धाश्च परमर्षयः
Then, O knower of dharma, one should proceed in due order to Dīrghasatra, where Brahmā and the other gods, the Siddhas, and the supreme sages are present.
दीर्घसत्रमुपासंते दीक्षिता नियतव्रताः । गमनादेव राजेंद्र दीर्घसत्रमरिंदम
At Dīrghasatra, the initiated, steadfast in their vows, worship; merely by going there, O king, O subduer of enemies, one attains merit.
राजसूयाश्वमेधाभ्यां फलं प्राप्नोति मानवः । ततो विनाशनं गच्छेन्नियतो नियताशनः
A person obtains the fruit of the Rājasūya and Aśvamedha sacrifices; then, with discipline and regulated diet, he should go to Vināśana.
गच्छंत्यंतर्हिता यत्र मेरुपृष्ठे सरस्वती । चमसे च शिवोद्भेदे नागोद्भेदे च दृश्यते
There, where the hidden Sarasvatī flows on the summit of Meru, she is seen at Camasa, at Śivodbheda, and at Nāgodbheda.
स्नात्वा तु चमसोद्भेदे अग्निष्टोमफलं लभेत् । शिवोद्भेदे नरः स्नात्वा गोसहस्रफलं लभेत्
By bathing at Camasodbheda, one obtains the fruit of the Agniṣṭoma sacrifice; by bathing at Śivodbheda, a man gains the merit of giving a thousand cows.
नागोद्भेदे नरः स्नात्वा नागलोकमवाप्नुयात् । शशयानं च राजेंद्र तीर्थमासाद्य दुर्लभम्
By bathing at Nāgodbheda, a man attains the world of the Nāgas; and, O king, reaching the rare tīrtha called Śaśayāna.
शशरूपप्रतिच्छन्ना पुष्करा यत्र भारत । सरस्वत्यां महाभाग अनुसंवत्सरंहिते
There, O Bhārata, the Puṣkara is concealed in the form of a hare, where the blessed Sarasvatī remains for a year.
स्नायंते भरतश्रेष्ठ वृत्ता वै कार्त्तिकीं सदा । तत्र स्नात्वा नरव्याघ्र द्योतते शिववत्सदा
There, O best of the Bharatas, people always bathe, especially on the full moon of Kārttikā; by bathing there, O tiger among men, one shines like Śiva.
गोसहस्रफलं चैव प्राप्नुयाद्भरतर्षभ । कुमारकोटिमासाद्य नियतः कुरुनंदन
And, O bull among the Bharatas, one obtains the merit of giving a thousand cows; having reached Kumārakoṭi with discipline, O delight of the Kurus.
तत्राभिषेकं कुर्वीत पितृदेवार्चने रतः । गवामयुतमाप्नोति कुलं चैव समुद्धरेत्
There, one should perform ablution, devoted to the worship of ancestors and gods; he obtains ten thousand cows and uplifts his lineage.
ततो गच्छेत धर्मज्ञ रुद्रकोटिं समाहिताः । पुरा यत्र महाराज ऋषिकोटिः समाहिता
Then, O knower of dharma, with concentrated mind, one should go to Rudrakoṭi, where formerly the multitude of sages gathered, O great king.
वर्षेण च समाविष्टा देवदर्शनकांक्षया । अहंपूर्वमहंपूर्वं द्रक्ष्यामि वृषभध्वजम्
For a year, desiring a vision of the gods, they remained there, each thinking, 'I will see the Bull-bannered One first.'
एवं संप्रस्थिता राजनृषयः किलभारत । ततो योगीश्वरेणापि योगमास्थाय भूपते
Thus, O king, the sages set out, O Bhārata; then, O lord of the earth, even the lord of yogis, having taken up yoga.